Introduction

Life Sciences companies have been implementing virtual engagement solutions for years with varying levels of success. Until the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations did not need to rely so heavily on remote technology to manage customer relationships. The next big challenge for business leaders will be how to effectively integrate and scale these digital solutions so they are flexible enough to be used to support their overall customer engagement strategies, yet robust enough to be used as the primary channel when necessary.

Several weeks into the COVID-19 pandemic, most Life Sciences companies have already implemented IT solutions to ensure business continuity. Many of these solutions would have taken months or years to implement under normal circumstances. While the recent switch from traditional face-to-face interactions to virtual engagement was immediate, over the past several years, remote engagement has been a growing component of an overarching commercial strategy (The Power of Remote Personal Interactions). As new solutions are launched across enterprises to address rapidly changing commercial needs, it may highlight the need for interconnectivity to ensure these tools work together with existing infrastructure to effectively orchestrate meaningful customer engagement.

An IQVIA poll of HQ Pharma executives in April 2020 revealed they most require external support for management of their HCP engagement strategies in the post-crisis environment.